Sucker-rod elevator



oct. 27, 1925. l 1,558,638

W. P. SCHLINGER ET AL SUCKER ROD ELEVATOR" Fld June 23, 1924 29 26 J@ J9gwntow 0W 84k Cantn-.w94

Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

Param -oF-Ficie.

WILLIAM P. scHLINGER AND GEORGE n. PARANTEAU, 0F OXNARD, CALIFORNIA.

'sUcKER-Ron ELEvA'ro'B..

Appncaaon med aune as, 19M. fseriai No. 721,750.

To @ZZ whom t may concer/n.'

Be it known that we, WILLIAM' P. SCHLIN- GER and GEORGE R. PARANTEAU,'citizens of the United States, residing at Oxnard, in the county ofVentura and State vof Cali*- ornia, have invented a new and 'usefulSuckerlod Elevator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention rela-testo rod elevators such as are employed inthehandling o'f Idrill rods, sucker rods, tubing or `casir1',g,"in theconstruction and operation of wells such as oil wells.

An object 'of the present invention is 'to provideJ a rod elevator withjaws movable to and from a position closed `.around a rod in the'elevator which jaws in -inoving to the open position move in adirection opposed to lthe weight of lthe rod supported upon the elevatorso that the Tweight of such rod will normally apply the force `tendingto maintain the `jaws ol the elevator lin the closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elevator with jawsadapted lto A"form a closurel for the elevator, `which jaws are pivotedto move about a horizontal axisin their opening and closing operationsfand in which the jaws pivot upwardly v4froin the closed positiontoassume the opened position, thus providing an elevator having jawswhich will be normally maintained in the closed position by 4the weight'of 'a `rod for the like vsupported thereon. y I

Another object of the invention is lto provide such a sucker rodelevator having horizontally pivoted jaws with means whereby y thepressure of a rod entering the Ielevator will assist in moving the jawsto the Aopened position.

Another .object of the present invention is to provide an Aelevatorhaving horizontally pivoted jaws with means independent ofthe weight ofthe rod tending to yieldingly maintain the jaws inthe `closed positionand to provide a simple land f'e'iiic-ient mear-ns for pivotingr the jaws't'o the 'epened iesi'tilil Another object of the invention-isteprovide an elevator with latch to maintain the jaws in a closedposition, and ito 'provide a latch and opening mechanism for an elevatorby which gripping and i'ire's'sing two parts "tegether will release thelock and move .the jaws to the open position.

Variousfurther objects and advantages ot the present "invention will beapparent from a description of a preferred'exainple of a rodelevator.embodying the invention.` Reiference 1s therefore made to theaccompanying drawings in which the elevator is shown nions '3-3 whichprovide a means whereby the body :may be ,journalled in bearings `of abail, or 'the like, employed to .support `.the elevator. The vbody 2V isprovided Vwith a rectangular :depression or recess 4lin its upper Vface,and with `a. I rod receiving `way y-eXte'nding' radi-allyfl'rom thecenter ofit'he elevator andpreferably at right angles :.,to the axis ofthe trunnions .fie-8s The lProd receivingway 5 is preferably taperedoutwardly .at ythe outer -end "of, ythe way, *as indicated at 6, tofacilitate guiding a rod into `the elevator.

"Within 'the recess 4 of the body 2 are provided two movable jaws 7-7`having semi-circular meetingffaeesfS, which together define a`vertically disposed circular closure at 'the reenter fof the body of`the elevator, operativeto close lin upon a lrod or like article fand:support the Asame in the elevator. Thetop faceszof the aws 7-7preferablvare flushed with theitep of the body 2 and the front and :rearwalls jof the `jaws 7 lit thel front and rear walls '02E the recess 4 ofthebody 2. The 'enter l:sides o the jaws 7 arespaiced somewhat ffzbm'theend walls :oi thefrecess sblthatf'gthe enter iside r'wal-ls `of l:thejaws 7 areffree'toxpivot :downwardly in the. elevator to :position thesmeet-ing faces upward Vin the open :position Parallel shafts 19 extendhorizontally the jaws to an openedpositionj, and inner ends of thebottom walls of the jaws 7- 7 are adapted to engage j cess 1lasatpointsl2f-l2`between theshafts 9 9 so that the jaws 7 7l are supportedby the body 2 from pivoting downwardlybeyond the closed position. l`

Preferably means areprovided so thatthe pressure of red or the likeentering` the-ele-- vater will'assistfin moving the jaws 7 7 to theopened position. vided by front walls iB lS ofthe jaws:7 7 whichconverge inwardly from the front side of the recess t at the top ofthe-jaws 7 7 and therebelo-w are cnt backward as indicated at id lli. Itcan thus be seen that the pressure of a rod or thelik-e attempting' toente-r the rod receiving way against the walls '13 13 tend to spread thejaws 7 7 apart and also to force the meetingfaces of the jaws upward,Awith` the. result that suchl jaws '7 7 will ltend to movev upwardlyunder the'pressure ofthe rod ent'eringthel receiving' way 5 tofruln'iittherod therein. Means are provided in thevelcvat-or nor'- mallytending' tojyieldmgly'maintain thc jaws 7 7 in the closed position,suchmeans being providuedl .bya tensionspring -attached at its ends tofvertical varms. 1(3l-i6 "3 extending upward from the rear ends oftheshafts 9 9, the spring '15 `thus applyinpf'a tension normally urging the.shafts 9 9 'tov pivot into the closed position." In order to" openthejaws 7 7 and*releasefa rod ory i the like held therein,A the shafts 9 -9'are provided with opposedpins Il lff nor-U mally extendinglroriZontally out-ward from the ends of the shafts 9 9." Such pins 1T417 are both'engaged by a` U-shaped-operating; lever A18 providingahorizontal operatingbar or handle 19 at the rear of the body.

The operating lever 18 'has arms 9,0 20 pivotally mounting the leverycnv pins 21' `2l supported' by ears 22/ 22' which extend f rearwardlyfrom the body'Q of therei'evator.

and beyond the pins EZLthe arms 20 extend above and 'contact withpins 17l7 as indicated at 23 23. To open the jaws' 7 7,` the vbar 19 of the.lever 18 is pivoted upwardly, thereby thelever 18 presses the pins17-17 simultaneously downward pivoting the shafts 9 9 lin the direction'tending toopen the yjaws 7 7. The ears 722 22 are preferably providedwith flat shoulders 2st- 24, which engage flat faces on the lever 18.the bottom :of the re- Such means are pro-v to hold the ends 2B of thelever i8 against the pins l7 17 in the jaw closed position. 25 indicatesan extension of the body 2 below the lever and parts operated therebywhich acts as a guard to prevent articles strikingl the lever or partsfrom below.

T he body is provided with a rearward cx- 'tension'or hood 26 whichentends over certain parts of the elevator to prevent articlesstriking'the elevator mechanism from above. Pins 27 are screwed intoopposed sides of the hood 26 and provide a pivot mounting; for aU-shaped member 28 having: lugs 29" 29 fitting between the. outer wallsof the recess fi and jaws 7 7 to lock the jaws in the closed position.The rear bar or handle 29 of such lock mechanism is disposed aboxo thebar or handle `19 of the jaw opening leverl8 so' that' the lhandles :29and 19 may be simultaneously gripped,together to ref lease the jaws 7 7and to pivot the same to the open position. Tension springs 30 normallyfurgre thekmember 28 to the locking` position. j

In operation to engage a rod in the elevator, the lock member 28 ispivoted out of contact with the jaws 7 7. The elevator is then pressedagainstthe rodi the rod entering;- the rod receiving way 5 andcontacting with walls 13 13 of the jaws 7 7 to automatically 4pivotqthevjaws to the open position to `permit the rod to enter thecircularclOsure formed V`by the semi-circular meeting faces 8 8, thespring l5 yielding', during' this operation. Vhengthc rod is 'fithinthe-circular closure, the spring l5l automatically lcloses the jaws 'T Taround the rod and the rod may then be handledin the elevator. The forceofthe roch or .parts supported upon the rod will, inoperation, beapplied tothe jaws 7 7 in a manner tending tot maintain the jaws: 7 7 inthe closed positiomthus supplementingv the action of the 'spriigig l5.The jaws 'T T may positively be locked inthe closed position by pivotingthe lock member 28 into the position shown in Figures l and 2. The rodis released from the jaws 7 7 by operation of the lever i8, this leverbeing' to the rear of the opening of the rod receiving way 5, thelever`18 maybe Vgripped both to open. the jaws 7 7 and to pull the elevatoraway fro'nitherod. I j y -p'lVhi-le 'theelevator herein describedis wellsuited foraccomplishinir the purposes of this invention. variousmodifications may-be madein the details of constructionand arrangementof parts without departing' 'from thespirit of the invention. f

The invention is therefore not l'mitedto the specific embodimentdescribed` but is of the `scope set forth in the accompanying claims:

lVe claim l. `In .a rod elevator, a body having a lateral .rod`receiving' way, .and aws having meeting faces `providing a circularclosure for the way, the jaws `being operative b y pivoting on .asubstantially khorizontal axis to and from a closed position, the jawsbeing mounted to pivotabove their axis in moving to the open position.

In a `rod elevator', a body having a lateral rod receiving way, m'eanspivotally mountinglthe body to a supporting member and jaws havingmeeting faces `providing a circular closure for the way, the jaws beingoperative by .pivoting on substantially horizontal axis to and from a.closed position, the jaws being operated to pivot upward above theirhorizontal axis in moving from the closed position.

3. In a rod elevator, a body having a radial rod receiving way, jawspivoted on horizontal shafts journalled in the body, said jaws beingdisposed to move upwardly above their axis in moving to the openposition, and means for normally maintaining` the jaws in a closedposition.

fl. In a rod elevator, a body having a rod receiving way, jaws havingmeeting faces providing a circular closure for the way, horizontalshafts pivotally mounting the jaws, means normally yieldinglymaintaining the jaws in the closed position, and means operative bypressure of ay rod entering the way to open the jaws.

In a rod elevator, a body having opposed trnnnions adapted to pivotallymount the body upon a supporting member, a rod receiving way in thebody, jaws having .meeting faces providing a closure for the way, thejaws being mounted. on the body to pivot about a horizontal. axis inmoving to and from the closed position, means for jointly actuating thejaws to the opened position, means yieldingly maintaining the jaws inthe closed position, and means automatically opening' the jaws oninsertion of a rod into the way.

6. A rod elevator comprising a body, a

recess in its upper face, a radially extending rod receiving way in thebody, jaws in the recess providing a closure1 for the way, the jawsbeing mounted to pivot on the horizontal axis to and from the closedposition, the jaws having faces operative to automatically open the aws:on an insertion of a rod into the way, means for normally maintainingthe jaws in the closed position, and means for opening the jaws.

7. An elevator of the class described, comprising a body having a rodreceiving way, jaws providing a closure for the way, means for pivotallymounting the jaws to pivot about a substantially horizontal axis inmoving to and from the closed position, the meeting faces of the jawsmoving upwardly in assuming the opened position, a pivotally mountedlever operative to simultaneously open the` jaws, and spring means`normally maintaining the jaws in the closed position.

8. In an elevator of the class described, the combination with a bodyhaving a `rod receiving way and opposed trunnions, jaws having meeting'faces providing a closure for the way, means for pivoting `the meetingfaces ofthe aws upwardly about a horizontal axis in moving the jaws toan open position, and means for opening the jaws, and means for closingthe jaws.

9. A rod elevator of the class describei` comprising a body having a rodreceiving way, horizontally pivoted jaws having` meeting facesprovidingaclosure for the way, the meeting faces of the jaws movingupwardly in assuming the open position, means on tlae jaw toautomatically open the same when a rod is inserted in the way, apivotally mounted lever operative to jointly actuate .the jaws to theopened position, and a spring normally maintaining the aws in the closedposition.

10. In a rod elevator, the Combination of a body having a rod receivingway, jaws having meeting `faces providing a closure for the way, meanspivotally mounting the jaws to pivot on a substantially horizontal axisin moving to and from the closed position, means normally maintainingthe jaws in the closed position, a lever for yjointly actuating the jawsto the open position, means on the jaws to automatically open the jawsupon an insertion of a rod into the way, and a lock operative topositively lock the j awsin the closed position.

l'l. In a rod elevator, a body having a lateral rod receiving way, andaws having rod gripping` faces, the jaws being operative by pivoting ona substantially horizontal axis to and from the closed position, thejaws being arranged to pivot in a direction opposed to the weight of arod received, in assuming an open position.

l2. In a rod elevator, a body having a lateral rod receiving way, jawsoperative by pivoting on a substantially horizontal axis to and from aclosed position, the jaws being arranged to bear against the body inload receiving position, Vwhereby at least part of the weight of theload may be transferred directly from the jaws to the body.

13. In a rod elevator, a body having a lateral rod receiving way, jawsoperative by pivoting on a substantially horizontal axis to assume loadreceiving and load releasing positions, the jaws contacting with thebody in work receiving position to transfer at least part lof the loadof the work directly thereto, the movement of the jaws towards the workreleasing position being opposed by the weight of the work.

14. In an elevator of the class described, a body having a lateral rodreceiving way, jaws operative by pivoting on a substantially horizontalaxis to and from a work engaging position, the jaws contacting with thebody to directly transfer at least part of the weight of the workthereto in working engaging position, the jaws being arranged to move ina direction opposed to the Weight of the work in assuming a workreleasing position, means for opening the jaws', and means for lockingthe jaws in work engaging position. Y

15. In an elevator of the class described, a body having a lateralrod-receiving way, jaws mounted on the body operative by pivoting on asubstantially horizontal axis to and from a work engaging position, saidjaws contacting with the body in the work engaging position to effectdirect transfer of at least partoil the weight of the work thereto, thejaws being arranged to pivot in a direction opposed to the weight of thework in assuming a work releasing position, means actuating the jaws towork releasing position, and means for looking the jaws in work engagingposition.

Signed at Los Angeles, Calif., this 8rd day of June, 1924.

VILLIAM P. SCHLINGER. GEORGE R. PARANTEAU.

